Eco' News

“What's the food like?”, “Who is providing the food?”, “Is there enough food to go around?” Our everyday talk constantly makes reference tofood, which is no surprise, as food and drink are essentials for life and survival. Food is also one of the enjoyments of life and a major part of our trade. Much of our land is given to food production and huge industries are involved in food production and distribution.

Christians acknowledge that the ultimate source of our food is Creator God, whose faithfulness to the covenant promise that seed-time and harvest will not cease is our ultimate food security. But there is a great deal that happens between the feeding and watering "by God's Almighty hand" and the enjoyment of food at a party in suburbia, or the empty stomachs of too many people in sub-Saharan Africa.

What can YOUR church or community do to mark Creation Time? We hope that as well as including environment-themed prayers, liturgy and sermons in services in the coming weeks, churches will take practical eco actions to mark Creation Time too.

An Taisce's Green Home team has come up with a brilliant plan which would make an ideal Creation Time eco project. Their idea of an Urban Harvest is to get people together in different localities to harvest fruit that may otherwise go to waste. To find out more, seehttp://ecocongregationireland.org/archives/2580.

Stop Climate Chaos has published How Green is Ireland? leaflets, which outline how carbon-guzzling Ireland is compared to other nations - 16.8 tonnes per individual each year compared to Denmark (11.7), China (5.5) and Ethopia (1). The leaflet includes a postcard which people in the Republic are asked to send to the Taoiseach urging him to put a strong climate law into effect so that Ireland does its fair share to prevent runaway climate change by significantly reducing carbon emissions. Also, urging additional, appropriate and and adequate financial support to help developing countries survive the impacts of climate change.

These leaflets are ideal for churches/communities to distribute, especially if you organise any eco events. If you'd like some of these leaflets, please let me know asap. Alternatively, you might like to print your own (see files attached).

Samuel Bundi, an ECI supporter originally from Kenya, wrote to say he was touched by our "inspiration note on drought in East Africa" in last month's newsletter. He said: "The other day I was surprised to hear from my brother they are affected by drought in North Eastern Kenya. They are running out of food as well, water is becoming scarce. We keep animals and many are farmers! Some people gave food to church organisation to distribute in June. Others sold very cheap things like maize and beans to government. But one of sad news, sometimes the poor dying people do not get this food due to some injustices and corrupt people on top. We keep the poor still on margins!

"The other thing we could look at is how to fetch the water during rain seasons and store in big tanks! Government could buy them tanks! Again there is need to educate them, that not only through cattle-keeping and nomadism even people can survive through education, farming, interacting with other communities. And the root cause, to plant more trees as they cut down more to get charcoal. We have also to include them in our society and value them as citizens. MPs of the place should be able to talk with Government on their needs. Church organisations should also act as agents of liberation, compassion and to save and bring life through being charitable to these people now. Thank you Sammy."

Eco tip - Celebrate Creation Time by giving thanks for all God's abundant blessings, especially the gifts of food and water! Plan at least one eco-action to do in the coming weeks to help the world become a more sustainable place.

Creation Time prayerO God, as the reality of what we have done to the earth and seas, which provide us with our daily bread, dawns on us, grant us the grace to do what is necessary to co-operate with your redeeming care of the cosmos. Give us the generosity and the courage to do without those things that destroy earth, air, water and all that sustains us. Bless us anew, that we may bless the earth with healing care, God – Creator, Word and Holy Spirit. Amen.

~ This is one of a number of prayers that ECI chairperson, Catherine Brennan SSL, wrote for the Creation Time resources. For further prayers see http://www.ctbi.org.uk/553/

Creation Timegrew out of a resolution adopted by the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN) in 1999, which recommended that churches consider and promote the preservation of creation as part of church life at all levels. The rationale behind the initiative was that "Commitment to preservation of the creation is not an issue among many others but an essential dimension of all church life.'"